Hospital Consultants

Hi all just wondered if anyone had requested a different hospital than the one allocated? I'm currently being seen by the respiratory team at St Mary's Hospital on the Isle of Wight. The only problem is they keep canceling my appointments and moving them back. I'm now not due to see the consultant until the end of Sept. Yesterday I saw my asthma nurse at my GP surgery who told me there was nothing they can do as I'm under the consultant, she suggested seeing my GP so made an appointment for Monday. Have phoned consultants secretary with no joy of getting an earlier appointment.

I need my medication reviewing I'm on Cetirizine 10mg twice daily for allergies (whilst it damps symptoms down I still have runny nose, itchy eyes, throat and ear canals all the time) Singulair 10mg at night, back on Seretide 500 accuhaler which I was on before christmas which GP changed to Symbicort which did very little, and resp consultant put me back on Seretide even though I explained I had already been on Seretide for a number of years and recently it wasn't having much effect and salamol easi breathe inhaler.

I don't feel like I'm getting enough medication into my lungs with the seretide / salamol. I last saw consultant at the end of March and feel that by now I should be seeing / feeling some improvement in my symptoms on this current medication regime but I'm not.

Can I request being referred to a different hospital for example Southampton?

Any advice would be appreciated.

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You can ask your GP for a referral to a different hospital. If you feel you're not happy with your current hospital/consultant then I would talk to the GP, but there may be a long waiting list - especially at Southampton as I think it's a tertiary centre for asthma (specialist).

Good Luck!

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what sort of inhalers are u using?

if you're using the pressurised ""normal"" inhalers, could u use them with a spacer if you're not already?

at the end of the day, its your treatment, u should have a say in what happens with it.

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Thank you.

Was beginning to wonder whether I was making a fuss about nothing until I had a bit of a blip last night. Massive allergy flair up - which resulted in asthma attack. Luckily managed to get things under control myself but took awhile. Today feel like I been run over by a truck but will take things easy. With hindsight maybe I should have just gone straight to our hospital walk in centre linked to A & E maybe they would have been able to something?!! But ironically I am absolutely terrified of hospitals.

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Ask your GP for a new choose and book referral, you should get a list with waiting times for each hospital. I had a list showing all Somerset & some Devon respiratory clinics and they varied by several months. I requested different hospital for ENT/sinus appt and now will be seen and treated in NHS treatment centre before first appt with local hospital. You could try different antihistamines too like fexofenadine.

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UPDATE

Hoorah... My GP is wonderful!! Whilst she can't change the medication I've been prescribed by resp consultant she can change the way it is delivered - so have changed from DPI to MDI Seretide 250 4 puffs twice daily and Salamol 100 2 puffs when needed both through a spacer. Horrah - at least I might actually feel that my lungs are receiving the medication now, rather than most of the DPI collecting at the back of my throat LOL. GP also writing to the resp clinic to get my appointment moved forward.

Thank you EmmaOx for suggestion re spacer and MDI's.

Fingers crossed things improve. Just anti histamines to sort... although resp con did state in report that if my asthma doesn't get under control with these medications of maximum bronchodilators and steroids then I would be a candidate for IgE monoclonal antibodies - but I doubt I will qualify as have had no hospital admissions (managed to avoid this by skin of my teeth) only needed nebs at hospital walk in centre.

Anyway will keep you posted ...

[angievere]

Hi Rachel, I've come in on this a bit late but noticed you said you've got antihistamines to sort out. My son takes 2 - Piriton at night and NeoClarityn (prescription only) in the morning. He has tried all the antihistamines going in the past but these 2 have helped a lot. The allergy consultant put him on the 2, I was a bit worried that it was overdoing it but it's been ok.

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I too have found piriton to be the only thing that really helps when things flare up. It also reduces my need for my inhaler. Yep it can knock you out - but I feel a lot lot worse and tireder if I can't breathe properly. I noticed only minimal difference with Cetirizine and Singulair. Piriton also helps my sinuses, excema and itchy eyes.

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medication

Hi

I went to my nurse today and i have been given an other anti histermine for my have fever as the high pollon count is setting me of coughing. I take salamol and clin modulit 100 to puss twice a day and 2 puffs four times a day of the salamol.

i also have aveymays naisel spray and Cetirizine 10mg one a day.

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does any one else have any problems with there hay fever and asthma when the pollen count is high. i have niticed that i start coughing on and off and i then have to use my selbutamol inhaler witch helps a litt but not great deal. i am also on clin modulit 100 2 puffs twice aday aswell, my nurse also said to use my salbutermol four tims a day at the moment,

the anti histermins i am on are avymays naisel spray and Cetirizine 10mg and i have also been put on today a new tablt to take at night